Device for scaring birds



NOV 13, 1951 H. L. BERGER 2,575,252

' DEVICE FOR SCARING BIRDS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 H. L, BERGER Nov. 13, 1951 H. I .BERGER 2,575,252

y DEVICE FOR SCARING BIRDS Filed July 7, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Nov. 13, 1951 2,575,252 'l DEVICE Fon somme Bums Hays L. Berger, Washington, D. yC., assignor to Veleita M. Berger, Washington, D. C.

Application July 7, 1947, Serial No. 759,316

This invention relates to a device for scaring birds, and more particularly to a device for scaring starlings. A primary 4object of the invention is to provide a bird scaring device to be mounted at a suitable Y the above mentioned character which is simple,

extremely durable, and well adapted to modern economical manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in-which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the device, and looking toward the rear of the same,

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device drawn on a reduced scale, and illustrative of its general appearance,

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral 6 designates a horizontal rectangular base, provided with a central upstanding projection or plug I integral therewith, and having corner `openings 8 to receive mounting bolts, or the like. The plug 'I is received by a depending tubular socket 9 formed integral with a generally vertical bracket or stand I0. This stand I comprises opposed upstanding arms II, joined at their lower ends by a horizontal web I2, and an upper horizontal annular flange I3 including an inner annular portion I4. The stand I0 and base 6 are detachably connected by means of a pin l5, or the like.

Rigidly detachably mounted upon the stand I6 is a vertical cylindrical tubular housing I6, hav- 2 claims.. (c1. 46a-124) opening I8. The housing I6 is open at its bottom, and has an vexternal horizontal annular flange I9 integral therewith, which registers with the flange I3. The housing I6 has a large forward vertical opening I9', giving ready access to the interior of the housing, and the opening I9 extends from near the top I'I to near the flange I9. The housing I6 is further provided with a pair of oppositely arranged horizontal arcuate slots 20 in the side wall of the housing, and these slots extend from the transverse center -of the housing to points near the rear of the same, see Figures 1 .and 3. The slots 20 are spaced downwardly from the top I1. The housing I6 serves as the body portion of the owl. A depending tail portion v2| is provided, and this tail portion is integral with the housing and joined to the same at the rear side of the flange I3, Figures 1 and 3. The tail 2I may incline rearwardly toward its lower end. An inspection door 22 is provided to cover the forward opening I9', and this door is offset forwardly and curved providing a forward portion 23 to simulate the breast portion of an owl. The door 22 is attached to the housing I6 by one or more hinges 24, and the door swings horizontally. A pivoted latch 25 is provided and y mounted upon the housing I6 adjacent to the edge of ,thetdoon and serves as a closure member for the door. A depending downwardly tapered extremity 26 is formed integral with the forward side of the flange I9. This extremity 26 is adjacent to the lower edge of the door 22, and with the forward portion 23 thereof simulates the front or breast portion of an owl.

Mounted upon the tubular housing I 5, by means of vertical hinges 21 and adapted to swing horzontally are wings 28. These wings are curved as shown in Figures 3 and 4 and surround the sides of the housing I6 when in the closed position. The wings are adapted to swing open topositions at or near those shown by broken lines in Figure 3. The lower tips of the wings preferably terminate near the web I2, and the tops of the wings are adjacent to the top I'I. The wings 28 together with the housing I6 and door 22 formthe likeness of an owls body. Formed upon the inner curved surfaces of the wings 28, 4adjacent to the slots 20, are split knuckles 29 carrying vertical hinge pins 30.

Disposed vertically within the lower part of the housing I6, and projecting downwardly between the arms II for a short distance is an electric motor 3 I, having a wire 32 which leads to a source of electric current. The motor casing is provided ing av horizontal 'top I'Iprovided with a central with mounting flanges 33 which engage upon the 3 inner annular ange I4. The motor is rigidly mounted upon the flange I4 by means. of screws 34. The annular clearance between the motor and the inner ange I4 is small, and the motor substantially closes the opening at the bottom of the housing l5 and aids in keeping foreign matter from the interior of the housing. The armature shaft 375 of the motor projects upwardly for a' short distance and is providedatitsierd with a sm'all'drive' gear"36 rigidlym'ointed thereon. Rigidly mounted upon the anges 33, and secured in place by the screws 34 is an inverted U-shaped bracket 37, having a hprzontaletop provided with a central clearanceopening 38 for the armature shaft 35. Rotatablxrmountedfupon the top of the bracket 31 is an idler gear39whi5h meshes with the drive gear 3E. ''lhisillerger 39 carries a small gear 49, disposed beneathgit and preferably formed integral therewith. V"Both of the gears 3S and 46 are rigidly mounted upon aver'ticl shftl, rota-table upon the bracket 37. YiAlso frotatahly mounted Luponfithe*bracket 31 'isl a `:vertical shaft "42 upon which is rigidly mounted large gear- .3 A-n'iesliing withtliefA gear hasiliigidly mounted uponit ran eccentriccam 144,l'iav'ing 1an annular horizontal egroovef45. `lSlidaloly'f niountecl-`upon the cam i 44 arid :within 'the annular groovelA is -aY Aspl-it-eccentri'c: strap s45 having ends4`. 'fThecam 44"rota-tesiwith"the ing movement" tof'the saine. '-lRigidlyisecuredfbe- 'horizontal "bracket 69, rigidly mounted 'avitliin thei housing l 5. LAt its' Vlowerfend; theirock-shft has are'duced-eirtensiom51"' journalld'ineai-rece'ss inthe @upperend-'of 1- the *armaturesl'iaft Liea'fi'id forminga" thrust. bearing. The Yrockestratti-fi'l :is

provided with-alsquared' portion 6 Fnearits upper tion 6 l. of therrockzshaftiforosciliatiomltherewith, Y'

is .a .horizontal disc oricro'ss :member 161; which preferablyiciroular,and.: provided withlaipiurality of circumferentially:spacediadiustment openings 68. A nut 69 is mountedluponithescrew-threalded `extension :562, .to rigidly .secure vthe fdisc #181 sand arm-:SSin ,.p'lace'iupon" .the I'rock shaft. YI-Mounted rupon ithepdisc 67, israfvertical yoke.includingrside legs L:il :ande a central .vertical shaft 12,A thels'ide legs having ireduced fend ae'xtensions zto renter si shaft'lZ extends through the opening I8 and has an upper squared end 13 to engage in a square opening 14 in a head l5, which has the appearance of the head of an owl. A pin 16, or the like, may be employed to prevent the separation of the head l5 from the shaft 12.

The base 6, stand l0, housing I6, wings 28, andV head 15 are preferably made as castings f :aluminum or like material. A:Sui-table eX- "ternlornamenta'tion maybe provided'on these parts to simulate feathers, as shown.

In operation the device is mounted upon a buildmgata'suitable location, and may he bolted in. place. The wire 32 is connected with a source connetedndtbe wire 32, if desired, to provide '..zinteiimittentzoperation of the device.

The armature shaft 35 will rotate, as will the drivegear 33, which drives the gears 39 and 40, providing a speed reduction. The gear 40 in turn ``fdrivesflthei gear 43 ,heffen-tingle. further '-'speed fereduction. "Thefshaft'l-Mdriven bythe-"gear ii3 causes rotation of the eccentric camf`44`fwhichfin tu'rnf'-'acting' through-the -pivo-tedliinli1i-5 l irri-parts iinearfcnotionif'freciprocationf of the rack gear 55. The rack fgearf causes-the" gear 56" an`d"roc'k shaf t`15 l-'to oscillatethrough an included 'angle :of approximately T" 4f `zlo `zkwise ifrom the position 'showniri'Figure *As the rock` shaft 5Toscillats, Vt-lie'cross armi-63: swings *back and* forth,4 and'v the pivote'd' rods :$5 and VSli l'-'cause the' wings 28 'to swing horizontally upon thehin'ges4 2'1irepeatedly "fromithe closed to i the open "position,'-*'Figure i 3. "Sirnu'ltane'ou sly,'Y the' disc' 6'1" osciilates'cau'sing the `Yyoke shaft 'l2 to oscillate; in turn causing the head 15 to turnlback and. forth simulatinglthe mo'veniei'itpfv the `head ofja' iiving owl. y"Ihe'positionof the head 15 mavbevariedby engaging the yoke in different 'sets of the openings `8B i ini the disc 61. The wings may' 'he"adfusteddiythe` use of differenti pairs 'ofropenings'if ini the arm 63. Ready; access" tof' the interior oi"vr thedevice' mayjbe had without disassembling the same through 'the hingdrdoor Z2-'when' thewingsfare in the open position.l v l "It isv` to bef-understood Vthat the iform of my invention herewith shown and descibedistoffbe takenQa's A=a I'preferred example-of the same,'-and that'svarious: changes in the "shape, size, andarrangement of parts may be resortedtofwithout departingffrom -the -spirit of-my invention "-orffthe scope f'thesuhjoined claims.

Having thus described myfinvention, Av'vhatI claim is:

l. A device simulating a birdofk preylfor sca-'ring birds, comprising ai housing,=fwir1gs. pivotallyl connected with the housing and adapteditoswing horizontally from closed to openpositions, 1an oscillating .shaft-"'moun-ted withinllthe housing, fa cross membeixmounted uponfthefoscillatingishait,

diflinks pivotai'lyconnecting -the.-crossmem=ber with'lthe wings, a second:v cross memberildisposed above" therst named cross 'member iandmounte'd upon the `oscillating shaftf aryokereonnectedwith 1 the llsecondtnamed zcross mem-ber -for l oscillation therewith 1'.' and s projecting above f the housing, fa head disposed @above fthe housing land connected with 1' the lyoke, fsaid cross members l 2being lpro# vided `S'with adjustment fopen'ings =whereby the .links '2a-nd "-yoke finay 'he radius-ted on rsa-id 'cross membersto vary`the 'degree fit-motion of said wings Tand said `head, a-ridf'means including ian electric @motor .fdisposed lw-tliin thehousing for driving '-thedo'scillatingV1 shaft.

.pairrofi-diametricallyioppositeiopeningsi. imei@ 1PA-device simulating Hfa 'llbird i.of Lprey lfor scaring birds, comprising a base, a housing mounted upon the base and having side openings, wings pivotally mounted upon the exterior of the housing and adapted to swing horizontally, an

an oscillating vertical shaft mounted Within 1 the housing, a gear mounted upon the oscillating shaft, a cross member mounted upon the oscillating shaft, rigid links each pivotally connected at one end With the cross member yand at the other end with a Wing and extending through the side openings and adapted to move horizontally therein, a second cross member disposed above the first named cross member and mounted upon the oscillating shaft, a yoke connected with the second named cross member and projecting above the same, a head disposed above the housing and connected with the yoke, a motor mounted within the housing and including an armature Shaft, a gear mounted upon the armature shaft, speed reduction gears rotatably mounted Within the housing and driven by the armature shaft gear, an eccentric cam driven by the speed reduction gears,and a rack connected with the eccentric cam and reciprocated thereby and meshed with the gear on the oscillating shaft to drive the same for causing the Wings to swing horizontally and the head to turn.

HAYS L. BERGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the i'ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 262,686 Myers Aug. 15, 1882 1,275,327 Uttz Aug. 13, 1918 1,928,573 Saeder Sept. 26, 1933 1,975,287 Polatty Oct. 2, 1934 2,013,709 Boissoneau Sept. 10, 1935 2,169,380 Barrett Aug. 15, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24,160 Austria May 10, 1906 

